But why bother? Well, for one thing, it saves you money by pinpointing exactly what your soil needs, so you don't buy unnecessary products. For another, it saves you aggravation, because healthy soil is more likely to mean healthy plants. And it saves the planet from fertilizer run-off.

You can pick up out-of-print first editions, antique volumes and other rarities at Cleveland Botanical Garden's upcoming book sale.

The garden's Eleanor Squire Library periodically offers donated books for sale, and the offerings can be a collector's dream. They're not all gardening books, either. The library sells children's books, fiction, botanical prints and a variety of other materials.

Owners of older buildings in Hudson, take note: The Building Doctors are headed your way.

"Doctors" Mark Epstein and Justin Cook -- building-preservation specialists with the Ohio Historic Preservation Office -- will be in Hudson on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 3 and 4. They'll offer a seminar Thursday evening on common issues related to older buildings, and on Friday they'll be available to visit pre-1955 buildings within five miles of downtown Hudson and advise their owners on problems.